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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Beautiful Is As Beautiful Does

More than just a few authentic followers of status fashion labels, especially when it comes to those followers of vintage status fashion labels, know well the name of Fratelli Rossetti, the venerable European brand, whose advertising tagline – “A Certain World Walks In Fratelli Rossetti” – originally caught the attention of chic, well-heeled, international women and men, across a myriad of glossy magazines, such as Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue. Today, the iconic company continues to serve up specialty collections of beautiful, wearable footwear and accessories for the well dressed and most fashionable client.

Most recently, New York City editors were treated to a private presentation of the company’s latest trend offerings – think Exotic Travel or Out Of Africa, and you get the point - at a most fitting address and location for this type of merchandise. In other words, what better place than the historic and grande, Italian Consulate on Park Avenue, in which to showcase an abundance of rich shoes and handbags for Spring/Summer 2010.

For all of the discerning and chi-chi women out there, the company offers up in its program notes, “A word of advice for ladies everywhere: open your umbrellas when the sun is out!” In this way, the company is touting a new addition to its line, a sandal called, “Emma” - all done up in pink suede and natural leather, with a cone-shaped heel, of course, - which, according to the company, is “inspired by women with a sense of adventure, who in the early Twentieth century abandoned the Old Continent, crossed oceans to follow their dreams, decided to start a new life far away”. For those who want to go a bit further by matching the footwear, the parasol is proposed.

Moving on to the rest of the women’s line, there are many of the company’s de rigeur sandals, courts, lace-ups, ballerinas and slip-ons - many adorned with coquettish, wide and flat bows - from which to choose; just about everything is rendered in multiple heel, material and color choices. Flats, wedges and platforms make the message of the moment, primarily seen in leather as the leitmotif, juxtaposed with calfskin, suede, tumble tanned and hammered effects with patent leather and laminates. Natural colors are most important, but for this editor, the tonals of black-and-white, alongside cornflower blue in glittery versnios, along with soft pink, olive green, coral red, dark brown and a groovy Prince of Wales check embossed onto suede totally did the trick for something different on the horizon. A definite standout across this collection is the summer-time suede boot, featuring a knubby, knitted leg; totally sexy, cozy and quite wearable.

Fratelli Rosetti’s bags, which are big, bold and touchable, make for a wonderful accouterment to the footwear. Done up in streesed-out and tumble-tanned leathers, canvas and lavish skin, this part of the collection is designed in shades that range from natural leather to a burnt color, and from ivory and cornflower blue, to green tea and cinnamon.

The men’s grouping, done in smooth and textural leathers and materials, in a bunch of colors that go from rough and rugged to hip, cool and sexy, follows suit, serving up a masculine array of sport, business and dress shoes – the slip-ons and deck shoes are great – that just about every guy out there will want to own and wear.

Taking into account the company’s message of “This man is made for that woman”, there are classic and cool, medallion on the toes oxfords, in textural leather; some vegetable dyed, applied by hand-patina. Next, there are desert boots with a new fashion spin this season, alongside glove-leather loafers (seen in classic styles and in an assortment of wild and acid-y, techno hues), thick, Goodyear Welt constructed, lace-ups (quite the l950’s look and feel of “Mad Men’s”, Donald Draper), as well as boating shoes with terry lining and classic Rossetti ribboning. The outrageous, mixed skin grouping, showcasing the most deluxe combinations of croc, lizard, python, in addition to solid croc is pretty groovy.

Proof that Fratelli Rossetti offers fashion and price for every man, The “Rossetti One” secondary collection, gives another dressing option, via a totally casual and quite affordable approach to breezy sneakers and shoes.

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Lookonline.com is the longest publishing online fashion site in the world. It was launched first as a BBS service in 1993 and has been on the Internet since December 1994. The DFR: Daily Fashion report is also the first fashion blog and was started in early 2002 as the site's main news page. Before launching the site, I was for many years a New York fashion photographer.